The Oath
by Daydream1
Summary: The ancestors of the Covenant left behind in England the second half of their pact, the five families of the Oath. The past that was forgotten has now been revealed as the children of the Oath travel to Ipswich to escape an ancient enemy.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own the Covenant but I wouldn't mind owning the boys that make up the Covenant. :o)

A/N: I'm keeping it here until the Covenant section comes out of limbo. That's where it was originally but the section seems to be in hidden in the twilight zone. :o( The actual story will take place in the present, this is just a prologue.

**The Oath**

Prologue

_1620, England_

A young woman stood on the edge of the London docks, the salt sea breeze tugging at the dark red tresses that curled over her shoulders and down her back like tendrils of creeping crimson ivy. The deep plum cloak draped over her black dress was thick enough to keep the cold out but still she shivered. A soft sigh passed through her lips, creating a puff of fog in the autumn night air. The ghostly white sails of the ship beside her blocked out the moonlight and cast a shadow over the docks. She jerked her shoulders back as she heard a creak from the planks behind her.

He was here.

"It is a beautiful night." His thick, satin voice caressed her ear. She had to fight off the impulse to shiver again as his hand curled around her waist. Arcing away from his hand, she refused to let him pull her into his embrace.

"Don't," she said shortly, taking a step away and turning on her heel to face him. The wind picked up and whipped her cloak about her thin body.

Black eyes shone as the huge sails billowed in the wind, allowing moonlight to pour across the dock. His sensuous lips were formed into a frown as he gazed at her defiant figure. "There is no need for you to do this. This place, this damned island, has no hold on you, I swear it."

The girl shook her head. She drew further away from him as if just the nearness of him to her was too much to bear. "It's different for me, for my kind. I've told you a hundred times."

"And the allure of the Power is too strong for you, I know," he replied darkly, casting his ebony gaze towards the damp planks of the docks. The sail snapped audibly as the girl stepped forward, arm raised and finger pointed at his face.

"That is not true!" she exclaimed, anger dancing in her blue eyes. "I have obligations here besides the Power. You would be a liar if you say I stay for any reason except my family. They mean everything to me, the power doesn't."

"You're afraid."

She took in a sharp breath and stared at him. "What?"

"You're afraid to commit yourself to me."

"I assure you, that is not the case."

"Then come with me," he said, glancing from her to the imposing ship beside them. The bold letters that ran the bow read as '_Mayflower_'. "Please." Those normally serious, proud dark eyes begged her, pleaded with her on so many levels. She felt something hot trickle down her cheek and realized with a shock that she was crying.

"I can't." Her voice broke and she rushed forward, trying to get away from him and the 'what if's' that were running through her mind.

As she brushed by him, a coil of silvery Power left his hand and encircled her waist. Dragged by the coil, she was pulled into his arms where she struggled, pushing against his hard chest until she finally loosed her taunt body and fell into his draining kiss. The fingers of his right hand traveled up her neck and became entangled in her hair as he held her tightly. They both knew that this would be the last time their lips would ever touch and neither wanted to violate the sacredness of this final kiss.

Power sparked between their lips when they broke apart. The girl rested her head against the young man's chest for a second, listening to his heart beat. Looking up, she noticed that the lock of hair that was forever falling into his face had turned a steel gray. His fingers trailed across her cheek and he wrapped a starling white curl around his finger.

He kissed her forehead before stepping away, allowing her to leave.

"Don't forget me."

"Never."


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the Covenant. Do you? Don't want them? Give them to meeee! ; )

Chapter 1

_2006, Massachusetts _

The leaves on the hardwood trees that lined the country lane burned with their autumn shades of brilliant yellow, smoldering orange and blazing red. The sky above was a harsh blue without any clouds to mar the azure backdrop. Two cars, a sleek, silver Mazda RX8 and a black Aston Martin Vanquish S, were perched among the grass and the overgrown weeds on the shoulder of the road.

Celeste Cariden was bent over the map of Massachusetts that was spread out over the length of the Vanquish S' hood. She traced her finger over one of the red road lines and tapped the paper when it landed on the black dot that read 'Ipswich'. Somehow they had gotten off the road that they needed to be on and ventured into the middle of nowhere.

"How much farther is it?" asked another girl as she leaned over Celeste's shoulder to look at the map. "Tell me we're almost there." Her long, silver blonde braid fell over her shoulder and brushed against the car hood.

"Edie, please, don't hover over me like that," said Celeste, her irritation apparent in her strained voice. She had spent the past few hours driving around the New England countryside, completely lost. It did not help that Harper had decided to inundate herself with American culture. The radio had not left the Top 40s station all morning long and Celeste had the pounding rhythm of 'Sexyback' stuck in her head.

"I'm not hovering, I am simply standing near you," Edie said indignantly, pushing her braid back in agitation. "If we don't get going soon, I'll start walking to Ipswich."

"What, is Mother Nature getting to you already?" asked Layne from where she was sitting on the edge of the Mazda's hood, her arms crossed over her chest. Edie gave her a peeved look and tugged on the end of her braid.

"No, it's just the sunlight," quipped Harper dryly. The black-haired vixen of the group was laying in the grass beside the road, the sun glinting off her impersonal designer sunglasses. "You know what it does to a vampire's skin."

"Very clever," said Edie, rolling her pale green eyes. "If you ever decide to write a witty book of jokes, do tell me. That way, I'll have time to warn the rest of the world."

"If that was your idea of a comeback, lovely, it wasn't very good," said Harper as she getting up from the ground with effortlessly sensual movements. She pulled her sunglasses off and stuck one of the thin, white arms into her mouth came up on the other side of Celeste. She glanced sideways at Celeste who was staring at the map intently. "Any comments, Fearless Leader?"

"Don't call me that," Celeste said as she straightened up and smoothed out her gray sweater. "I think I know where we have to go now."

"I'm guessing that you're going to fill us in," Layne said as she pushed off of the car hood and joined the other three. Celeste looked around, her dark blue eyes narrowing.

"Where's Kaelin?" she demanded. Harper flipped her hand towards the woods.

"She's off playing _Sound of Music_ with the local flora and fauna," sighed Harper in an exasperated tone. The fifth and youngest member of their group, Kaelin Greene, had disappeared into the woods soon after they had stopped.

"I told her not to go alone," groaned Celeste as she rubbed one hand against her temple.

"She's fine," said Layne. "She's right over-"

"I'm here!" Kaelin's bright voice exclaimed as she burst through the underbrush, wiping bits of twigs and leaves off of her corduroy jacket. She grinned as she scurried up in between Layne and Harper, her hands fluttering in the air as she used them to express herself while she talked. "Sorry, but I found this really ace brook and, oh, it was wicked gorgeous…"

"Don't go off like that by yourself!" scolded Celeste, her blue eyes sparking with anger as she whirled on the youngest. Kaelin paled as Celeste voice grew louder, "It's not like _He_ couldn't have followed us here, Kaelin! We're not safe yet so don't act like we are."

Like always, all lightheartedness dissipated at the mention of _Him_. _He _was the whole reason they had left England in the first place. Kaelin stared down at her mud-caked sneakers while Harper and Layne shared a tired look. Celeste, acting leader of the group, was extremely stressed out lately and she wasn't handling it very well. It had been her mother's call for the girls to leave their homes in London and search for the Covenant in the last place they had been known to live, Ipswich, Massachusetts. The other two remaining mothers, Kaelin and Layne's, had both agreed with her, and now all five descendants of the Oath were toughing it out on American soil.

Of course, finding the Covenant was all easier said than done since looking for an ancient secret organization of witches never exactly was a walk in the park. It wasn't like they had a business card or a sign over their heads flashing 'Here be witches!' in neon green and orange. All the girls knew for certain was the five last names of the Covenant and that the descendants would be males.

Transferring from one school to another in the middle of the semester was not a smooth transition either. Harper, Edie, and Kaelin would be going to the prestigious Spenser Academy; Harper and Edie would be finishing their senior year while Kaelin was still a junior. Celeste and Layne were going to continue taking online courses from their college in London.

"I said I was sorry, Celeste," Kaelin said quietly, lifting her gaze so she could look into the taller girl's eyes. "I really do mean it."

"Just don't do it again," said Celeste sternly, and Kaelin nodded obediently, her bouncy, dark brown curls falling around her face.

Harper smiled at Kaelin and put her arm around the younger girl comfortingly. "Seriously, dearheart, whatever would the rest of us do without your sweet smile and annoying, whiny soprano voice?"

"It's not annoying!" cried Kaelin, dark brown eyes growing wide. "Is it?"

"It's just terrible," teased Harper, exaggerating the 'terrible' by drawing out the 'r'. Kaelin playfully punched her in the arm before they both gave their attention to Celeste. The older girl gave them an frustrated look.

"Carry on, Celeste," said Layne, raising her eyebrows at Harper and Kaelin as a reprimand. A rebellious smirk slid out on the side of Harper's lips but she stayed silent.

"Well, when we took that last exit, we messed ourselves up rather badly," said Celeste and the other four gave a collective groan. "At the moment, we're heading towards the next town over instead of Ipswich."

"How long is it going to take us to get back to where we're supposed to be?" asked Layne practically, glancing down at the map on the hood of the Vanquish S. Celeste made a face.

"An hour, I think, but I'm not really good at these kilometer to mile conversions so it may take longer."

"An hour or longer? But the landlord is expecting us at twelve!" exclaimed Edie, her bottom jaw dropping open in shock. "How could we get so bloody lost that it's going to take us an hour to get back?"

"Maybe it's because we've never been to America before?" supplied Harper, one eyebrow cocked in mocking amusement. "You know, Edie, for being such the little bookworm you are, you have absolutely no common sense."

"Harper!" snapped Edie, her glaring eyes darkening dangerously from moss green to deep jade. "Belt up!"

Harper grinned cheekily while Celeste put a hand on Edie's shoulder. She sent Harper an admonishing look. "Quit being a wanker, Harper."

"Fine, fine," said Harper, holding up her hands innocently. "But if she stays ebony for much longer, I won't be so understanding." Her white teeth glinted as she gave a sharp, fake smile.

"Oh, go practice your Wicked Witch of the East a little more, Harper," said Layne, rolling her soft grey eyes.

"Bite me, Glinda," said Harper, sticking her tongue out at Layne as she walked away and slipped into the passenger seat of the Vanquish S. Celeste gave a heavy sigh as Edie stormed off towards the Mazda, grounding the toes of her scuffed up clogs into the ground each time she took a step. Kaelin rocked back on her heels and grinned at Celeste and Layne.

"We're such a happy family, aren't we?" she exclaimed with fake excitement, clapping her hands together. Celeste smiled back and gave the youngest a sisterly half hug around the shoulders before heading towards the Mazda.

"We try, we try."

A/N: Alright, this was my 'meet the girls' chapter. I just wanted to give you a feel for them and their relationships before plunging headlong into the story and trying to force their personalities on you all at the same time.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own the Covenant. I do own my girls: Celeste, Layne, Edie, Harper, and Kaelin. Hearts and chocolate and half dressed Covenant boys to everyone who reviewed. I LOVE YOU ALL!

A/N: I have to change Celeste's last name. I figured out that it was Sarah's last name because I watched the movie again. :o) I guess the writer of the movie did their witch history too; a woman with the last name Wenham was the last person on trial as a witch in England. Grr…so now Celeste's last name will be Cariden.

Chapter Two

"This place looks as ancient as sin," said Kaelin, hanging onto the passenger side door of the Mazda. The place she was referring to was a decrepit two-story house that was a throw-back to the Victorian Era that was sitting out on the edge of the forest. The base paint that was peeling away from the outside walls might have been a cream color in better days; now it was a dirt-smeared, dusty grey. Scraps of burgundy trim clung to the cracked window sills and door frames. A few of the windows that circled the tower on the east corner were cracked and one had a gaping hole in it.

"Don't exaggerate," said Layne briskly as she put her hands in the pockets of her denim jacket and walked towards the crumbling house. "Sin is timeless and this house is only a few hundred years old."

"That's much better," Kaelin exclaimed with no little amount of sarcasm. After spending years around Harper, some of the acerbic girl's nature had rubbed off on the baby of the group.

"I think it's a matured, sophisticated establishment," chimed Edie with a prideful air. The sylphlike girl was standing beside Kaelin who was still staring wide-eyed at the house.

"Oh, yes," mocked Harper, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned back against the Vanquish S. "It's very mature. Mature like a hundred year old glass of milk."

"It just needs some major renovations and a little love," Celeste said as she shouldered her pocket book. She passed by the three younger girls before starting to make her way towards the porch through the waist-high weeds.

"I think you mean it needs a little bulldozer," Harper muttered while Kaelin skipped down the nearly-hidden path after Celeste. "Or a big one."

"Why are you being so negative, Harper?" asked Edie, turning to face her stylish friend. Harper started to open her mouth but Celeste's voice cut in before she could say something.

"She just takes pleasure in being contrary. You know she's never going to be sugar-sweet." Celeste tossed a rare grin back at them, her dark red hair shimmering for a moment in the sunlight. "Harper's highest level of sweetness is about equal to that of a lemon."

"Thank you, love, for describing me so adequately," said Harper, returning the grin with a perfectly formed smile. Edie rolled her eyes in disgust before snatching her fat, patchwork purse from the Mazda.

Celeste carefully crested the creaking stairs to join Layne on the rotting porch. The brown-haired young woman was kneeling in front of the door as she tried to unlock it with the key the landlord had mailed them a few weeks earlier. Apparently the lock had rusted shut. Layne was swiftly growing agitated. She squinted and flame spread across her gray eyes, darkening them briefly to black. The lock shook then the door knob twisted, specks and chunks of rust breaking off of it to fall to the floor. The door swung open and banged against the inside wall, thrown back by a force of telekinetic power.

"Layne…" Celeste started but she was quickly given a silencing glare. Layne raised her chin defiantly and walked inside without a word.

Magic was dangerous for Celeste and Layne since they had both Ascended the year before. The younger three elements of the Oath were still under eighteen though Harper's birthday, October 31st, was coming up in the next few weeks. Layne, though a very proper and prim woman, had always been the first to Cast and now she was having problems controlling how much she tapped into the life-draining Power.

"This is sort of wretched," Kaelin said as she followed the older pair inside. Her voice echoed through the receiving room they had stepped into then seeped into the wall, creating an eerie silence. She moved closer to Layne who raised her eyebrow in amusement.

"Afraid of the ghoulies, Kaelin?" asked Layne, reaching out to brush her index finger against Kaelin's side. Kaelin jumped and whirled around, her hands flying upward as she swatted at Layne.

"I'm not afraid! I'm just a little…apprehensive," Kaelin said, jutting her chin out stubbornly. The floorboards groaned as if in pain as Celeste started to explore the foyer. Kaelin squealed and latched onto Layne's arm, burying her head in the older girl's shoulder.

"How brave of you," Layne said, but she gave Kaelin's shoulder a reassuring squeeze anyway.

"Oh, hush," Kaelin muttered, pulling her head away from Layne's shoulder. She looped her arm through Layne's, making sure they would stay close.

"It has character," Celeste said as she paused in her inspection, putting her hands on her hips. Her gaze roamed over the sturdy looking rafters and the solid walls. Sure, it was covered in a film of dust and grime but it looked much more well-built on the inside than it did on the outside.

"It has cobwebs," Harper countered, appearing in the doorway in all of her runway-worthy beauty. She daintily crossed the threshold and made a swift circle around the foyer. "And dirt. And leaves. And trash. And, oh, look..."

Harper fished a pen out of her mini-purse and bent down in a corner. She stood back up with a white piece of stretchy plastic on the end of the pen. "A condom." Harper laughed as she flicked the pen and sent the condom back to the floor. "That's exactly what I thought about when I saw this place too. It's just teeming with sexual nuances."

Kaelin laughed while Layne allowed herself a smirk. Celeste ignored Harper's remarks and passed under an archway into the room that was most likely the living room. All of the furniture was covered in white cloths, giving the room an abandoned appearance.

"This is dreary," complained Harper. "And boring." She raised her arm and absentmindedly flicked her wrist. All of the cloths leap into the air as if snatched away by invisible hands. For a finishing touch, they folded themselves in midair before piling up in a single column in the middle of the room. She moved onto Casting the leaves out of the corners of the room. "Kaelin, don't be a bum. Help me."

The younger girl nodded and stepped away from Layne. She glanced at fireplace and suddenly the ash and dust that had been collecting there flew upwards, shooting past the flume and out of the top of the chimney.

"Not so obviously, please," Celeste exclaimed, her eyes widening. "The landlord was supposed to meet us here. He may come back so if you're going to Cast, don't be flashy."

"Got it," replied Kaelin, only half paying attention.

A high-pitched scream flew from outside followed by Edie's infuriated voice. "There are HOLES in the porch! My glasses fell off!" The sound of boards being magically torn apart crashed through the house.

Layne snickered. "I'll go rescue her before she does any more damage." The brunette walked out, leaving Celeste by herself to monitor Harper and Kaelin who were quickly turning the cleaning into a competition. She quickly tired of the task since she could not participate in the contest herself.

"I'm going to go check on the electricity," Celeste said, pulling her coat tighter around her. They would need to find firewood too since the house didn't have a radiator or central heating. She grabbed onto the doorframe right before she left. "Don't Mary Poppins yourselves to death."

"We won't," replied Harper and Kaelin in unison.

It took the girls the rest of the afternoon to inspect the house. A few doors had to be Cast open and a couple cabinets also. The layer of dust that had fallen over everything was Cast off but there was still some major cleaning to do, not to mention the multitude of repairs that needed to be made. Night was falling but Celeste was determined to go on a shopping trip anyways. Kaelin volunteered to go with her and soon they were in the Vanquish S, heading towards Ipswich.

00000000000000000

"This is sooo much smaller than London," commented Kaelin as Celeste drove down a narrow backstreet. Once again, they were lost. They had no idea where they were going and it did not help that Celeste kept drifting over into the other lane since that was where she was used to driving. Kaelin watched the quaint New England houses pass by the window and threw Celeste a brilliant smile. "This is going to be so great! I can't wait to go to Spenser tomorrow, I bet it's really smashing."

Celeste sighed at Kaelin's enthusiasm. The younger girl had always had a problem grasping the reality of a situation. They had left England to escape The Inquisitor, a man who had been chasing after and murdering the families of the Oath for centuries, ever since the time of the Inquisition in Europe. _He_ had killed off everyone in Harper's family when she was five; she had come to live with Celeste after that. Edie's mother and father had been killed when she was fifteen, leaving her with her grandmother. Layne, Celeste, and Kaelin's families were still mostly intact. Kaelin was treating the journey like it was a simple Study Abroad when it was actually a mission to save their lives. It hurt to take away Kaelin's innocence but she needed to be more serious.

Celeste was about to tell Kaelin what she thought when the curly-headed girl started to tap on the window.

"Oh, look, Celeste!" she exclaimed excitedly. "It's a party!"

Sure enough, there was a crowd of teenagers in a vacant lot that was surrounded on three sides by a chain link. Three barrels were burning in the middle, lighting up the lot for the impromptu dance that was going on. Bodies that were sweaty in spite of the autumn cold pressed against each other, thrown about on the wave of instinct to dance to a rhythm.

"Maybe they know where we could find a store," Kaelin suggested naively.

"I doubt it," said Celeste. She did not really want to find out, either. She had given up partying years before when she had assumed leadership over her generation of The Oath. She had gone to parties, of course, but she had never really participated except as the designated driver.

As the Vanquish S rolled by, many of the teenagers turned to look, probably wondering if it was a cop car. Those that appreciated a nice car whistled at the sight of the expensive car. Celeste allowed herself a smile; she took pride in her cars.

Celeste jumped in her seat when she heard a seatbelt click and the door open. She scrambled in vain to grab the edge of Kaelin's jacket as the girl climbed out of the car. "Kaelin!" she yelled. "Get back in this car!"

Kaelin bent down, her brown curls cupping her grinning face. "I'll be right back. Give me one minute." She closed the door before Celeste could protest and sashayed off towards the rave.

"Damn!" Celeste snapped, banging her fist against the steering wheel. She parked the car on the curb and got out to go track down Kaelin before she could get into trouble.

Kaelin was given a fair amount of attention as she walked towards the party in her dusty black jeans and burgundy corduroy jacket. The short seventeen-year-old wasn't dressed for a party and she looked out of place as she squeezed in-between the dancers. She spotted a redheaded girl who wasn't dancing and headed towards her. The redhead nibbling on a plastic cup filled with some cheap beer while she leaned against a handsome boy with long blonde-brown hair.

"Hello there," she said, coming to stand in front of them. The girl automatically gave her a disgusted look while the boy's eyes trailed up and down her body.

"Are you trying to talk to us?" asked the girl, flipping her long hair back behind her shoulder. Her body language said that she was utterly repulsed by Kaelin.

"Actually, yes," said Kaelin, attempting to smile at them. She had figured out that she had made a bad decision but she had to continue on with it now. "My friend and I were looking to find a hardware store that's open now. Do you happen to know of one?"

The redhead threw back her head in mocking laughter. "You crashed the party to find a hardware store, how rich. The fake accent makes it all the more better." She waved her hand as if swatting at a fly. "You Ipswich High kids are getting more and more inventive." Her eyes narrowed as she became serious. "Get lost, panty waste."

The boy behind her sniggered, "Good one, Kira." He burrowed his nose into her hair and kissed her neck.

Kaelin gaped at the pair of them, her mouth falling open as Kira insulted her. "It's not fake!" she exclaimed, growing angry but not really knowing what to do about it "And I'm not panty waste."

"Are you sure?" asked Kira, moving away from her boy and standing in front of Kaelin. "Cause I think you are." She towered over the short teenager, and it was obvious she was trying to intimidate her. Kaelin moved back and bumped into someone's hand. She whirled around to face a tall boy with striking light blonde hair covered by a grey toboggan and a smirk on his thin face.

"What, are they trying to run you off?" he asked, his head leaning to the side. Kaelin blinked up at him, uncertain of what to say. These were the moments when she really wished Harper or Layne were with her so they could say something witty.

"I think so," she finally said in a quiet voice.

The boy nodded, his smirk widening as he looked past her at the couple. "And why would they do that?"

Kaelin was getting fed up with these question games. "Look, all I want to know is where the closest hardware store is. That fat slapper over there wouldn't tell me, her boyfriend is a prat, and I'm leaving anyways. Stuff the hardware store!" she fumed, her voice growing louder. The boy stared at her but he seemed amused by her reaction. She could hear Kira and her boyfriend scoffing even though they didn't really know what she had called them.

Tossing her curls behind her shoulder, Kaelin stormed away. When she was about ten seconds away, she clenched her fist. A shriek ripped out of Kira's mouth as her plastic cup of beer flew up into her face. Kaelin moved on faster, and she caught Celeste on the way out. The older girl was still making her way through the dancers. "Let's go."

As they got closer to the car, Celeste grabbed Kaelin's arm, and they locked eyes. "Don't go running off like that again, or I swear you will regret it. Do you understand?"

"You're not my mother, Celeste," exclaimed Kaelin. She jerked at her arm. "Let me go."

Celeste let go of her but held her in place by Casting a net around her. Kaelin was nearly frozen by a casing of magic. "Listen to me. It's dangerous here, and we're not here for a romp in the park." She could feel Kaelin trying to strike out against her by Casting. Celeste pushed her against the car and thunder rumbled in the distance. "Quit acting like a child and listen to what I'm saying!"

Kaelin struggled a second longer. She knew that she couldn't win a fight of Power against Celeste, especially since Celeste had already Ascended. She raised her head and glared at Celeste with frustration.

"As long as we're here, you must listen to me," Celeste said. "It isn't just you, or just me, or just anyone. We're in this together and we'll need you around. It will take all ten of us to defeat him, you know that."

"So you want me around so you can defeat _Him_?" asked Kaelin, her shoulders lowering from a defensive position to a dejected one. "That's great, Celeste. I certainly feel special now."

"That not what I meant…" said Celeste with a labored sigh. She released Kaelin from her Casting and quickly hugged the younger girl. "I really could not handle it if something happened to you."

"You're making a scene," complained Kaelin but she hugged her back anyways. Taking Kaelin's words seriously, Celeste glanced back towards the party. No one was paying attention to them except for one boy standing at the edge of the dancing couples. His hands were jammed into the pockets of his jeans and he was staring right at them. His eyes reflected for a second in the gleam from the fires.

"Come on, let's go," Celeste said, going around the front of the car. Kaelin quickly slid into the car, and Celeste drove away. Celeste glanced back into the rear view mirror and saw that the boy was still standing there, his eyes following them as they drove away.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own the Covenant, do you?

A/N: Kaelin is pronounced Kay-lin, just so's ya know. :o) And, lol, this has been resurrected from what, page 17 out of 18? I have been a lazy girl. Sorry, everyone, hopefully I won't be so late again.

Chapter Three

Harper, arms crossed and a bored look on her face, was leaning against the wall outside of the provost's office. Across from her, an antique grandfather clock kept time with an annoying click-click-click as its second hand made its way around the numbers. She tossed a look over at Edie. The blonde was sitting on the wooden bench beside of the clock, her nose pressed into the pages of a well-worn paperback. Harper rolled her eyes; books were for class, not pleasure. At the moment, Kaelin was in Provost Higgins' office, discussing her new schedule and the rules of Spenser Academy. Harper and Edie had already been through the small-scaled lecture. The middle-aged secretary glanced up every now and then to glare at Harper. The black-haired, sharp-tongued girl had barged into the office that morning with Edie and Kaelin, and she had proceeded to flirt with every boy that entered the room. It was really starting to get on the secretary's nerves.

Harper looked up as the bell over the doorway rang, signifying that someone was entering the room. Her carefully sculpted eyebrow rose as a boy came in with a black street bike helmet in his right hand. He was handsome in an underwear model way; he had that sexy shoulder length hair and exotic yellow-green cat eyes. He noticed Harper and nodded to her, his eyes lingering on her long legs, before he walked over to the secretary's desk.

"Mr. Parry," the woman said as she looked up at him over the rim of her silver glasses. "You wouldn't happen to be caught skipping class again, would you?"

Harper jerked her head up as she heard the boy's last name. Parry, was it? She stared at him, eyes wide. He couldn't possibly be one of the Covenant; it had to be a coincidence. She couldn't find one this quickly, could she? She had always thought that good luck was Layne's specialty.

"You know me, Mrs. Lassiter," said the boy as he put his helmet on top of her desk, pushing some of the papers out of the way. "I only skip class when I think I have a good reason to."

The secretary gave a heavy sigh. "Pogue, you think that a hang nail is a good reason to skip class. Your parents aren't going to like it when they hear about this…" She reached over to pick up the phone.

"But they don't have to, now do they?" the boy, Pogue, said as he reached out and pushed the phone back down onto the receiver. He gave Mrs. Lassiter a charming smirk. "Please, Mrs. L, I'd really appreciate it if you let this one slide."

The woman looked up at Pogue and sighed, letting the phone drop back into its cradle. "Alright, Mr. Parry, but this is the last time, understand?"

Pogue flashed her that careless grin again and nodded. "Of course. I wouldn't think of treading on your good graces more than once."

"Oh, Pogue, you are a devil," she said, shaking her head as she tried not to smile at him.

Pogue was about to reply when the door to the provost's office opened.

"Overall, I think you will make a great transition into this school, Ms. Greene," Provost Higgins was saying to Kaelin. The girl scurried out of the office as he held the door open and flashed the provost a quick smile.

"Thanks, I'll try to fit in as well as I can," she said. She saw Harper standing in the corner and rushed over to her. Her green shoulder bag bounced on her hip as she passed Pogue. She granted him an evaluating glance before turning her attention to Harper. "So, are we off to class now?"

"You know we're not in the same classes, love," Harper said as she bent down to collect her black messenger bag from the floor. She made sure to turn her back towards Pogue, letting him enjoy the view created by tight designer jeans.

"Ah, Pogue," the provost said as he caught sight of the handsome boy. He walked over and patted him on the shoulder. "I'm not exactly sure why you're in here, but you're the perfect man to escort these ladies to their classes. This is Edie, Harper, and Kaelin." He gave Pogue a shove towards the girls, "Ladies, this is Pogue Parry. They're new to Spenser and the States, so do be a gentleman about it."

Pogue looked as if he were about to protest but Harper stood up and caught his eyes with hers. Immediately, he nodded, that casual smile dropping onto his lips. "Yeah, sure, sir. I'd be happy to." He winked at Kaelin who blushed and looked down at her feet before stealing a glance at Harper. The older girl shook her head; they would bring up the subject of his last name later.

"C'mon, I'll show you around." Pogue grabbed his helmet and led the way out of the office and into the hallway. As they were leaving the office, Edie reached over and caught Harper's arm. Her pale eye's smoldered as she glared at Harper.

"Don't you dare start going around charming people," she hissed, her voice barely audible. "Especially boys that might be a part of the Covenant." Harper pulled away from Edie and batted her eyelashes lazily.

"Oh, come now, Ed," she said, brushing her hair back from her face. "What's a little charm going to hurt? Besides, it's not like I'm Casting or anything, and if I was, a Covenant member would be able to tell."

"You're such a bitch," muttered Edie as she stuffed her book into her pastel yellow backpack.

"And you're a bore," replied Harper, her teasing smile turning vicious for a moment.

"Oh, just naff off," snapped Edie. "You think you're so ace just because you can charm unwitting boys…"

"You're just sorry that you can't do it."

Ice-glazed glares passed between the two before Harper surged forward to catch up with Kaelin and this Pogue person. Pogue was telling Kaelin about some of the sports that Spenser offered its students.

"…tennis, softball, lacrosse. And swimming. Do you swim?" he asked. Kaelin wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

"Not well. I never really had a reason to learn," she replied. She giggled at his shocked expression. "What, is it a requirement to swim at Spenser?"

"No, but I couldn't imagine _not _swimming," Pogue said before letting out a low whistle. "I'm on the swim team," he said as if that would explain everything. Harper smirked, letting her eyes slide over his body.

"I bet you do make quit the sight in your swimming costume," she said. Pogue gave a half-smile and shrugged with humility. Kaelin rolled her eyes and tried to get Harper's attention.

"They have an equestrian team here," she said, a bright grin on her face. "Isn't it wicked?"

"It's brill for you, Kaelin," said Harper. She smiled at the younger girl before returning her attention to Pogue. He was watching both of them with his eyebrows slowly knitting together.

"Where are you guys from again?" he asked. They were walking up the stairs now, passing by a window that looked more like it belonged in a medieval fortress than a school. Harper let out a laugh and shifted her messenger bag around on her shoulder.

"We're from Kensington," she replied. "It's in London."

"Thought your accents were British but I couldn't tell," he said, a cat-like smirk racing onto his face. "The provost did say you were from out of the States." He glanced back at Edie who was walking behind them, gloom and doom darkening her face. "So, what brings you three to Ipswich?"

"We heard it was a great school," said Harper, taking the lead. Even if he was one of the sons of the Covenant, there was no need to go spreading around their secrets until they were certain. "Our parents really, really wanted us to come here. Transferring seemed like the only option."

"In the middle of the semester?" Pogue asked, one eyebrow lifted. "That's a little strange, don't you think." It wasn't a question; it was a statement. Kaelin's cheeks flushed while Harper smoothed everything over with a brilliant smile.

"Our parents are very impulsive people," lied Harper, "When they get an idea in their heads, it happens."

"You three aren't sisters, are you?" he asked, pointing from Harper to Kaelin and finally to Edie. Harper shook her head.

"No, but our parents are really close. Family friends, you know? When one of them gets an idea, they all just go along with it." She shoved a lock of hair back behind her ear and glanced out the window. Pretending that her parents were still alive was starting to hurt. It was as if they really hadn't died all those years ago, burned at the stake while she cowered behind the stairs at home… She tossed her head as if she could throw out all the bad memories. When she turned back to the others, she was all sexy smiles and tempting winks again. "Aren't you going to show us around?"

"I'm actually supposed to be taking you to your classes," he said, smirking back at her. As she had hoped, all his questions had melted away with a flash of her smile.

"Oh, but that can wait. It'd be better if we didn't get lost later on," said Harper, wrapping her arm around his. She teased him by leaning her body against his. "I can't imagine that you're much for rules and orders anyways."

"Never did see much use for them," he replied, blinking his eyes once or twice as if he were trying to clear his head. Harper smiled again; she was probably laying on too much of her gift.

"I, for one, would like to get to class," announced Edie, a sharp edge to her voice. "And Kaelin should go too. She doesn't need to get caught in trouble the first day."

"That's not fair, Edie!" exclaimed Kaelin. Her lips dropped into a pout as she turned to look at Harper but the dark-haired girl shook her head.

"For once, I agree with the bookworm," she said. She reached over and ruffled Kaelin's bouncy curls. "Someone might get angry if we both get in trouble on the first day. They expect it from me."

"Bugger that," mumbled Kaelin as she pushed Harper's hand away. She glanced over at Pogue and then gave Harper an aggravated, knowing look. Harper frowned at her, daring her to say something. Pogue noticed the tension rising between the girls and broke it with a snicker.

"Look, I'll take you to your classes," he said and then looked to Harper. "I can give you a tour after that."

"Sounds peachy to me," said Edie, a sour look on her face, "I'm supposed to be in Mr. Merozzi's Advanced Latin class. Room 303."

Pogue did not even attempt to look enthused. "Sounds like fun."

"It is," Edie replied dryly. Pogue made a face as if he was trying not to chuckle as he led the way up the stairs.

"And where's your room?" he asked, turning to look at Kaelin.

"212," she replied grudgingly, "I'm supposed to be in math class." She gave Harper another pleading look. "Please, Harper? Please, please, lots of begging, pleading pleases…"

"No, Kaelin, quit whining!" exclaimed Edie, narrowing her eyes at Kaelin this time. "You can't skive off your first day of class."

"Now who's being the Wicked Witch?" said Harper under her breath.

"What was that?" Pogue asked, turning his intense cattish stare on her.

"Nothing," replied Harper, the smile returning to her face. She took the piece of paper that Kaelin was clutching in her hand. "Now let's find this dreaded math class of yours…"

0000000000000000000000000

When they had dropped Kaelin and Edie off at their classes, Harper and Pogue continued their tour around the school. They visited the library, the courtyards, the study halls, various clases or both his and hers, the gymnasium and pool (Pogue's favorite place on campus), and the auditorium. Along the way, Harper found out that Pogue had a girlfriend, some Kate person. He seemed infatuated with her. The way he talked about her was just sickeningly sweet and adoring. Harper was certain that wouldn't last long, not if she had something to do with it.

They also talked about what life at Spenser was liked. Pogue was curious when he heard that the three girls weren't living on campus. Harper knew that this was going to raise suspicion and had tried to argue for living in the dorms, but Celeste had wanted them all to stay together. Harper told Pogue that their parents hadn't wanted them to live in the dorms, and he seemed to buy that. However, it made her wonder just how long the story would stand up if he kept digging at it with curiosity. If he was a Covenant member, then it wouldn't really matter, but otherwise… Well, she could just Cast anything he discovered out of his mind.

"This is the end of the Pogue Parry Tour of Spenser Academy," he said in a slick tone as he pushed the door to the cafeteria open for her. She grinned back at him.

"Parry, that has English roots, doesn't it?" she asked as she walked past him. She was almost close enough to touch him but not quite. He gave a half-hearted nod.

"Yeah, it does," he said as he followed her in, letting the wooden door close behind him. He didn't seem like he wanted to tell her much more than that. Harper decided not to press the issue at the moment. She looked around the crowded room for Kaelin but the younger teenager was no where in sight.

"You can eat with me and the guys, if you like," said Pogue as he weaved his way through the teenagers.

"Wouldn't that be crashing into a clique or something?" she asked. She noticed that most people moved out of the way when Pogue walked by. It was as if they instinctively knew to move out of the way. She couldn't help but wondering if he was some sort of bully but he didn't seem to be the type.

"Nah, they like new people," he told her as they stepped around a crowd of Goth kids. "But watch out for Reid. He thinks that everything in a skirt was made just for his enjoyment."

"I'll remember that," Harper said, the inflection in her voice telling him that she would do more than that. Right then, the piping tune of a cellphone came from her hand bag. She scowled down at it, hoping that it would stop ringing. It didn't. Sighing, she reached down and fished it out of her bag. A glance at the caller id told her that it was Celeste. "Oh, wonderful. Sorry, but I have to take this."

Pogue shrugged his shoulders. "That's fine. Catch you some other time?"

"Wouldn't miss it," said Harper, forcing a smile onto her face. How dare Celeste interrupt her right now? With a final teasing eyelash bat, she sashayed her way out of the busy cafeteria. She went down a hall that was nearly deserted and answered the phone with a terse, "What?"

"Harper, if you don't go to class after lunch, I'm pulling you out of school." Celeste's voice was calm, almost happy even. "We didn't put you, Edie, and Kaelin at Spenser just so you can find the Covenant. You have to keep up with your school work too."

"I cannot believe you," Harper snapped. "We're in a war, and you worrying about schoolwork?! Are you a complete nutter?"

"Harper, don't speak to me that way," replied Celeste, her voice not changing. "I'm just thinking about life after this is all over."

"Well, I'm thinking about life now," said Harper, her hand tightening around the phone. She felt someone's eyes on her, and she turned around to see Kaelin walking towards her, a grin on her face. "Look, I'll talk to you after school. I have something to tell you, anyways."

"Come straight home," said Celeste. The phone in Harper's hand hummed, signaling that Celeste had hung up. Kaelin bit her lip in hesitation as she approached but Harper shook her head.

"It seems we've got a persistent guardian angel with us today," said Harper, tapping her foot on the floor as she glared at no one in particular. Kaelin gave a chuckle.

"Celeste Casting a Third Eye again?" she asked. Harper nodded.

"Her favorite trick," grumbled Harper as she shoved a thick lock of black hair behind her ear. Celeste had a habit of spying on the others with a spell called the Third Eye. It enabled the user to see what was happening wherever they told the eye to go. The only downside to the Third Eye was that the user could not hear anything; they could only see.

Harper looked down at Kaelin whose grin had reappeared. "You looked chuffed to bits. What's got you so happy?"

"Nothing!" Kaelin exclaimed, the blush on her cheeks deepening.

Harper looked at her with suspicious, half-lidded eyes. "Nothing? Really."

"Really," insisted Kaelin. Harper grinned and twisted her hair around her pointer finger.

"Alright. You'll tell me eventually, even if I have to Cast it out of you," she said.

"You wouldn't!" squeaked Kaelin. "That's not fair, Harper."

Harper just laughed and looped her arm through Kaelin's. "Maybe I wouldn't. Anyways, let's go raid the vending machines. Lunch is almost over anyways." She would just have to catch up with Pogue later on.


End file.
